Windows 8 touch

Microsoft unveiled a shiny new user interface for Windows 8 last night which should make the upcoming operating system at least as easy to use on tablets and other touchscreen devices as it is on laptop and desktop computers. But you’ll need the right hardware for the job, and Microsoft is starting to let us know exactly what that means.

We already knew that Windows 8 would support both x86 and ARM-based chips, and now the folks at Qualcomm and Texas Instruments have let us know that they’re preparing Windows-ready processors for later this year and early next year. NVIDIA is also expected to support Windows 8 on its upcoming mobile chips.

But here are some other hardware requirements for Windows 8:

  • You’ll need a 1366 x 768 pixel or higher display resolution for the best experience, but Windows 8 will run on 1024 x 600 pixel screens as well. 1024 x 768 pixel displays are the minimum if you want the new touch-friendly user interface.
  • Devices will need edge-to-edge displays to support gestures such as swiping from the edge of the screen.

GottaBeMobile notes that Microsoft is also recommending displays with 16:9 aspect ratios, although that’s not necessarily a strict requirement, as evidenced by the support for 1024 x 768 pixel screens.

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2 replies on “Microsoft outlines hardware requirements for Windows 8 features”

  1. “Devices will need edge-to-edge displays to support gestures such as swiping from the edge of the screen.”

    If that means Win8 will have from-bezel swipe support like RIM’s QNX for the PlayBook, then bravo. The bezel-swiping gestures on the PlayBook make it far easier to navigate than anything running Android or iOS.

    1. From the video it sure seems it has from-bezel swipe support like the Playbook does.  When I played with the Playbook in a store I could not figure out how to get back to the main screen.

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